Rainer Busch is a specialist in global tobacco trading and a facilitator of cost-effective platforms for sales of global uncommitted tobaccos. He offers consultancy, sales and purchase assistance, business development and outsourcing of expertise. Rainer provides services for various tobacco buyers around the world to source tobaccos on their behalf and assists multinational tobacco packers and tobacco owners to help them sell their products. He manages an experienced and motivated team around the globe, including Europe and the Middle East and Far East. Rainer’s track record extends back to 1985, and he brings decades of experience to the tobacco trading industry. He spent some 20 years working at Gebrüder Kulenkampff AG and DIMON Inc. / Alliance One Intl. Inc., managing turnovers of up to US$ 120 million per annum. In 2006, Rainer founded the NewCo Group which offers comprehensive tobacco trading services from agronomy and commercialization to blending, processing and logistics. Its service portfolio extends from the tobacco in the field to when the last carton of finished product is loaded for its final destination. Since its foundation, NewCo Group has sold more than 200 million kilos of packed tobacco from 23 different origins to more than 70 different destinations. NewCo is officially represented in 16 tobacco origin areas and operates 14 offices across the globe.Most recently, in response to logistical challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, Rainer co-founded UTA Products, an online alternative to traditional auction platforms for uncommitted tobacco leaf trading, offering an innovative digital solution for tobacco merchants and buyers. Rainer lives in Freiburg in Germany. He is fluent in 5 languages: German, English, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. He is married, with two daughters. He is an active sportsperson and a keen marathon runner.